My parents never taught me to tithe. That was something adults did. I was a kid, so I could keep my allowance and spend it on myself without feeling guilty. Since they’re good parents, I wasn’t allowed to be self-centered and they taught me the importance of caring for others. But I wasn’t taught about tithing and giving back a portion of my money to God as an expression of thanks and joyful dependance.
When I started working part-time, it was really hard to start giving 10%. Because I only had a little money, so I needed all of it. Instead, I gave a few dollars here and a few dollars there. Then I started working more and earning more, and if I actually tithed I’d be giving a lot more money than I was comfortable with. So what would I do?
Now that I’m a dad, I look for opportunities to teach my kids to give as an expression of our family’s joyful dependance on God’s provision. Whether your a teenager or a parent, it’s important for us to put our money where our faith is. Parents, teach your kids about tithing when they’re younger.
God doesn’t call us to give out of our wealth. Instead, we give out of our sense of need. Christians serve a generous God. How could we honor him by being so stingy that we wonder how little we can get away with giving?
Eventually, I’ve learned to tithe (and to enjoy it). God truly does love a cheerful giver, because a cheerful giver reflects God’s generosity to the world. Here are five reasons you should grow towards tithing to your local church, regardless of your age:
Living Theologically 